Aston Martin DBX707 4.0 V8 (A) Review

Well-heeled buyers are spoilt for choice when it comes to ultra-high-performance, super-luxury SUVs.

Lamborghini offers the Urus Performante, Bentley has the Bentayga Speed, and Porsche has the Cayenne Turbo GT. All of them have in excess of 600bhp and well over 800Nm of torque, and can blitz the century sprint in just over three seconds.

But if you want an SUV that can outgun the Lambo, Bentley and Porsche, consider the Aston Martin DBX707, which not only offers serious firepower, but plenty of panache, too.

Name and numbers

One glance at the DBX707 and you can tell that this SUV means business. The front end, for one, gets a more pronounced grille and larger air intakes to feed and cool the engine. This is why the fog lamps, which the DBX has, are absent on the DBX707.

The test unit here is fitted with optional 23-inch wheels, one size larger than the rims on the DBX. Lurking behind them are carbon ceramic brake discs and rotors that reduce the SUV's unsprung weight by 40.5kg.

The carbon ceramic brakes are standard and only available on the DBX707. According to an Aston Martin salesperson, they cannot be optioned on the DBX.

To maintain their performance under hard use, brake cooling ducts are also fitted. At the rear, you'll find a new roof lip spoiler and larger twin diffuser, which is needed to accommodate the quad-exhaust system.

These tailpipes are like the amplifier and microphones for the SUV's AMG-sourced 4.0-litre V8, which features two turbochargers in the 'hot in V' configuration. This powerplant is where the car gets its name from.

The DBX707 reflects the fact that its powertrain kicks out 697bhp (707PS, hence the name) instead of 542bhp in the DBX. The SUV's torque increase is particularly eye-opening, having been raised from an already plentiful 700Nm to a staggering 900Nm.

To deal with the output increase, the standard nine-speed torque converter gearbox has been replaced by a nine-speed multi-plate wet clutch automatic.

With the hotter engine and revised gearbox, the DBX707 now demolishes the century sprint in a scarcely believable 3.3 seconds, compared to the DBX, which does it in 4.5 seconds.

The improvement by 1.2 seconds is massive at this level, especially when you consider the SUV's 2,245kg mass. Getting this much sheet-metal up to speed is nothing short of a Herculean feat.

British blitz

Pull and hold the right paddle shifter as you thumb the starter button and the V8 motor awakens with an angry roar. It has a ravenous appetite, not just for unleaded, but for tarmac, too.

With the engine set to 'Sport+', the drivetrain is at its most responsive, and is in the right mode for aggressive, stabbing throttle inputs. I was happy to oblige, for both the powerplant and exhaust note sound better as the revs climb.

You need just over 3,000rpm to get the turbos spooled and delivering that extra boost. Nail the accelerator and the V8's exhaust notes blare menacingly as the DBX707 takes off without needing to pause for grip. At this point, any existing inertia simply melts away.

Obviously, there aren't enough roads (or a speed limit high enough) in Singapore to contain the DBX707, which Aston Martin says tops out at 310km/h.

But even point-and-squirt manoeuvres are great fun here, with the burbling eight-cylinder providing drama to every occasion.

If there was one word that could describe the DBX707, it would be unflappable. Ever the gentleman, this SUV's metaphorical feathers cannot be ruffled, and it's not just down to the available grip from the ginormous tyres.

Components such as the well-honed chassis, triple-chamber air suspension and 48V anti-roll system all work in perfect unison.

You don't even need to wait to straighten the steering wheel before smashing the right pedal with your foot.

Do so and the DBX707 wows you by following your intended line, the precise steering obeying your calculated inputs.

This is the sort of handling and agility you'd expect from a coupe, not something more than five metres long and two metres wide.

A quirk here and there

My drive became even more exciting when the dark skies emptied their contents on our island. Visibility was poor and the roads filled with deep puddles.

Yet it seems like the DBX707 was at home in our version of British weather. With less traction, the SUV felt a bit more alive (and I that bit more anxious).

Perhaps this is the car loosening its 'stiff upper lip', so as to allow the driver to enjoy himself.

My only two complaints in wet weather were that the carbon ceramic brakes now took more effort to halt the car, and that the left front parking sensor kept getting triggered for no apparent reason. Well, at least the air-con works far better in these conditions.

If I really had to nit-pick, I'd want the interior to feel even more special, given what the DBX707 offers. Yes, the sports seats are great, the driving position is spot on and there's now a dial for changing drive modes, but at this level, I expect even more.

I suppose that's where customisation comes in. But even if you don't bother personalising this SUV, know that its abilities will do more than put a smile on your face - the firepower and panache will make you feel like a hero, too.


In the market for a high-performance SUV? Check out these stories

Bentley announces new Bentayga Speed

Porsche Cayenne Coupe delivers additional style and personality without sacrificing practicality and versatility

All roads lead to Rome with the Lamborghini Urus Performante

See more of this massive rocket of an SUV here in our video review as well!